Favre didn’t call Rodgers back

Read the following from Don Walker at jsonline re Favre/Rodgers. Sorry – this sucks. I can’t pretend to know how close Favre and Rodgers were before last year, but just not calling Rodgers back sucks. Favre knows that Rodgers just wanted to play – nobody can blame him for that. It really seems that Favre’s anger re all this is misdirected.

(By the way, Don Walker often has interesting brief articles on the business of sports over at jsonline. The first time I came across one of these articles I was reluctant to read it because it looked boring – but it wasn’t boring. They are often quite interesting.)

In addition to speaking to the Journal Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein down in Tampa, Green Bay Packers’ quarterback had interviews with a number of sports-talk hosts. One of those was Michael Irvin, the former Dallas Cowboys star, and his partner, Kevin Kiley. And the main topic: Brett Favre, of course. In the chat, Rodgers said that, after the Packers lost to the New York Giants in the NFC Championship in January 2008, he and Favre left as friends. But there’s been no communications since.

Here’s the transcript:

Kiley: “You must say to yourself, why doesn’t Brett speak to me. What could it possibly be? …”

Rodgers: “I don’t know. That’s a question for him. I’m not going to put words in his mouth…. When we lost to the Giants [in the 2007 NFC Championship], we left as friends, and I haven’t talked to him in a year….”

19 Responses to “Favre didn’t call Rodgers back”

That really sucks. See my post in the Farve to Vik’s post to see how I feel about Brett now. But putting that aside, Rodgers should be the bigger man and change the subject if a reporter asks him these kinds of questions. It is not only polite, it will be better for him. He just went through a good season and think we can say that the vast majority of GB fans are now in his corner. That is because of two reasons: 1. He played well; 2. As the season went on, it stopped being a Brett v. Rodgers thing (for everyone except Tony Korn-holer).

If it becomes a Brett v. Rodgers thing again young Rodgers may find himself having to rebuild his image with a lot of fans.

Brett Favre has turned into a small, vindictive, petty, bitter fool. He gave GB many great years and memories. He’s trying hard to get back at TT through any means at his disposal. Don’t forget, Favre, that GB and the fans gave you something too.

If the Jets cut him, he will sign with the Vikings. Then we will have the game no one wants. I really don’t want to hope for Favre to get a blindside hit and end his career right then and there. I’d prefer he bring his rubber arm on to the field and toss 8 ints. That would be satisfying. A sad state of affairs, hoping the Hall of Fame QB that could do no wrong for so long retires from the Jets and goes to the HoF as a Jet.(just being vindictive myself).

Aaron, grow up. You were handed the guy’s job on a silver platter, no questions asked, and now a year later you’re whining because he didn’t send you flowers.

Aw, poor baby! GB qb’s should be made of sterner stuff.

Desite a mediocre 6-10 record, AR was universally praised for his performance, giving GB fans something to look forward to, but this carping re Favre bothers me. Just shut up and WIN some games next year.

The Favre FANatics can’t see the forest for the trees. They forgive that little baby for anything. Anyone who doesn’t give him his proper adulation is scum. Favre is an over age, rubber armed, OLD QB. Someone with class would have retired.

Rodgers was asked direct questions and he answered them. You got a problem, take it up with the reporters looking for a story. It’s not Rodgers’ job to give Favre cover. After 18 years in the NFL, you’d think Favre would get it by now.

I agree with Davis. Let’s cut all our team members, and just have Aaron Rodgers play against teams. He can do it all, just like Brett Favre could. John Madden was right…if we cut off all of Favre’s limbs, he would be the best torso in football.

Face the facts people. Brett Favre is bigger than the team, bigger than the organization. When Manning, Brady, and Favre go to heaven, God will have Brady and Manning sit to his left and right respectively. But when it comes to Favre, God will stand up and say “here’s your seat back.”

Davis couldn’t be any more correct. Favre’s performance in There’s Something About Mary is top notch, heartwarming acting. He should have won an Oscar for such a performance. But who knows, he should just create his own awards and call it “The Favres”

Oh, by the way Davis. You need to quit buying into the media hype aimed at adding more drama to the Rodgers/Favre fiasco. If you want drama, turn to TNT…because the Know Drama, apparently.

It’s funny that Aaron Rodgers makes one little vague comment about the situation when asked, you go ape shit. That was literally the FIRST comment he has ever made, mind you Favre bitched and moaned the entire season. At least Rodgers had the balls to be mum the entire season about it.

Were you somewhere else for the past year and missed all of the reasons why people have turned on him? He has lied repeatedly over the past year and gone out of his way to embarrass the Packers as a way of sticking it to TT in a childish feud. From saying in his retirement press conference that this had nothing to do with TT or MM, “and thats from the heart” to changing his tune that they “forced” his decision in March. As if its totally reasonable to wait until late June or July to decide if he wants to come back or not. His decision to treat GB fans as if they are nothing after 16+ years of support is astonishing. The same fans who bought anything that he or his family put out over the years.

But, I’m puzzled. You said “he and his family” Does that include his wife and children?

As well as fighting and conquering breast cancer, Deanna Favre has helped so many women with the same disease. Surely your animus towards her husband does not extend to a woman who supports and aids other women with this heartbreaking illness.
I hope not. Given what he meant to the Packers, it’s sad that you harbor such negativity towards Favre. I guess this means you’ve awarded the Packers Org. a free pass in the whole “mess” and that’s your right.

I wonder if Rodgers tried to call Favre last month right after the ESPN radio interview with Mike Tirico in which pretty much admitted that he’s obsessed with trying to escape Favre’s shadow and desperately wants to be accepted in Green Bay.

Like many of the anti-Favres, I think Rodgers needs to move on. He had a great season in his first year as a starter, far exceeding everyone’s expectations. Yet it appears he still has some psychological hurdles to overcome, and his late-game struggles have only added to the burden. There’s no need to rehash the past. Hopefully Rodgers can use the offseason to get away from it all and come back with a fresh outlook for 2009.

In my view, all these terse responses from Rodgers about Favre only fuels the notion that there’s some sort of personal rift between them. A “no comment” would be about the worst thing he can say. He should say something that shows appreciation for Brett but also that he’s moving forward as the leader of this team in his own way.

“I was extremely fortunate to work under a future hall-of-famer for three years and I learned a lot from Brett. I know I will never replace his legacy in Green Bay, but I will work as hard as possible to make the Packers a championship team again, and I believe I have the potential to do just that. I would like to reconnect with Brett on a personal level some day, but I realize he has his own family and team commitments that keep him pretty busy these days.”

I know Rodgers is young and inexperienced in dealing with the media, but he’s made quite a few statements already that make you wonder whether anyone is advising him at all.

I was just watching the news in Milwaukee and they had a interview with Rogers and he say to the reporter when asked if he reached out to Favre and he said NO he did not. Yet he told Michael Irving on Sports radio in Dallas and he said he did call Brett